The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-20
GATHERING OF REPUBLICANS
Representative Men from All Parts Of
the State Come to the Conference.
Their Talk Very Strongly Indicates that
the Fighting Spirit of the Party in In
diana Is Fully Aroused.


crowds of Republicans at the New Denisou
Hotel last night is evidence of the spirit that is
moving the party long before the contest of
1855. They are champing the bit" was the
pithy remark Of one, as he came away early in
The evening from the hubbub of the lobby the
gossip as to parties and party issues
and the general sentiment of cId-time
Republican agGressiveness that could be de-
iected in every group. The gathering of the
representative men of Indiana Republicanism
began early in the afternoon, and each train
brought more and more until late last night,
when there were fully 500 waiting for todayis
business Chairman Huston had been given an
idea OF the meeting through the letters that
came to him during the past ten days. He had
stack of them before him, yesterday, each ex-
pressing the same general courage, hopefulness
and determination of the party. One writer
said. in regard to the conference, at will be re-
.Iultant OF great good to thus early counsel to-
gether for the coming conflict In Indiana we
seed expect nothing gained except by
hard, persistent and united work"
A Republican at Petersburg wrote:
In this county the party is in good shape. and
!. With proper support will succeed in the next
. q campaign. We licked the Democrats in this
orounty last election for the first time its history
nd We do the next time Pike is for
Republican said: Nothing should stand in the
ray of an effort to knock out the free-trade.
ebel-fag, bulldozing Democracy" From Hunt
-ngton county came reply, eve will carry In
lana next fall and you count all my
'bility forsthe grand old Union-saving Repub-
lean party" Union county responded: ''I
think the Democracy the retreat slowly,
and we want to keep them in that shape if pos
sibie. You can rely upon Us for
everything reasonable that will aid
the Republican party to achieve in the
next campaign the victory we so fondly
hope for and expect" A veteran Republican of
Wabash wrote: II know the Republicans here
alive to the Importance of early commencing
sn active and uncompromising fight to place the
government in the hands of the only party. in
my judgment, capable of administering the true
spirit of institutions and for the best inter
.sts Of the American people" In Wayne county
the Republican feeling is thus expressed in a
letter from one of them: eff do not carry
> Indiana at the next election it will be be-
sause OF some great blunder or mistake
These quotations taken from mass of
correspondence which bear the same determined
spirit There was not letter-writer who did
not promise from two to half dozen repre-
sentatives from his locality and the beginning Of
lhe crowd last night was the beginning of the
probable that there will be many Republic
ans here as one usually finds in attendance at a
State convention
( "a few years ago." said old politician. 1--WE
could not have got together a hundred men on
an occasion Of this kind Now they are ready
TO come by the thousands to counsel, on mere
notice. It was noticeable. too, that the crowd
had the elements in it that express influence In
IDEAS and convictions Bankers; lawyers mer-
chants farmers and mechanics drIfted together
ha
tentered idsa-to do that which will
keep the Republican spirit aglow. ''We are all
the fighting force had years ago There
are enough local issues to keep us
awake and doing ,; and Rsnr II ahe,s
in Indiana means something, or you could not
have obtained tho crowd now here if the influ-
ences not at work, taking their leaders as
we'll as the rank and file from personal preiu-
dices ard preferences" The truth of this was
observed in the avoidance OF any review OF
main or subordinate issues. No one seemed to
have any pet theory Of his own as to how the
campaign should be conducted. If he did he
kept it under cover in face Of the prevailing
sentiment of harmony good feeling and the
desire to unite on any plan of operations that
will insure success
What is trus of John Overmeyers district IS
true of every other section of the State. The
Republicans in Jennings and adjoining counties
seaid he, ''are delighted over the Presidents
message They say it draws the line sharply
and that it places Democracy without qualihca-
ion doubt upon freetrade platform The
their faith by their works. Republicans, with
cut exception. with us, take to protection and the
other enunciations of the party. They never
felt better, never were more active even
In the midst of a campaign, and are all for Har-
iison for the presidency. The Democrats are in
a conflict of opinions as to who shall head their
State ticket VIM r. Gardiner said the same
about Daviess county, with the emphatic re-
mark: I'VE organizing. and one would
think that we were just In the heat of the con-
hicu. About q week ago we formed a league In
Washington, and TO the second meeting, held
few nights afterwards, the Republicans nockeo
in and Joined by scores"
The name of Benz Harrison was frequently
men ton ed in the talk of the lobby for the first
place on the national ticket, with the assurance
that a full Indiana delegation would be selected
in his interest. ''With u.s." said gentleman
from Clark. everybody is for Harrison. l have
been with the Republican party since its birth.
and came into it from the old Wing party. l
voted for the first General Harrison, and one
dav not long since young man asked me II
was active in the log cabin and hard-cider cam
paign. When I told him yes he replied. Well.
]. 700. intend to belong 70 Harrison CLUB next
year" -. 80
Over in an out-of -thewa corner of the lobby
sat three veterans of many hard-fougnt po-
litical battle. One was Z. Cowgirl OIL WABASH.
He was asked If he would take the stump next
year Il will" he replied, ''if am able to get
there Among these representative Republic
ans were noticed scores OF men who had pass 90
their prime but all of them We'd with the
younger leaders in their enthusiasm 1or the
party's good.
cay are C. Cowgirl. Wabash; L. J. Monks, WIN
chester; John Overmeyer. North Vernon; r. +.
Claypool, Connersville; NJ D. Tackett Green's
burg; g. n. Holman. Rochester; Cicero Bu-
chanan and II. A. Mattison. Evansville; Simon
r. Thompson. Rensselaer,; D. p. Baldwin. A. r.
Shroyer d. w. c. Justice and d. w. Tomn-
son. Logansport; Thomas Z. Boyd. Mobiles
VILE: W. r. Pleak, Adams; W. L. Dunlap,
FRANKLIN; William r. Gardiner, Washington;
j. G. Berkshire, North Vernon; j. NJ. Dunn and
j. NJ Jefferson, Lafayette; j. Q. Cravens, Yer
sales: A a. Shaffer, Huntington; Warren G.
sayre. Wabash: James r Henry. Gosport E.
H Nebeker Covington; J NJ. Robb, Williams
mort. F. M Dice p. S. Kennedy and j. H. Bur |
furd Crawfordsvilie; James n. Huston. Con- |
nersville; Judge Jordan and George H. Adams, |
NIartiusyille: j. McPheeters jr., Bloomington; |